Another Round of Winter Weather on the Way, National Grid Increasing Staff, Extending Work Shifts in Preparation

by Contributor | April 3, 2024 11:50 am

Company Reminds Customers to Stay Safe During Storm

Temperatures continue to hover around the freezing mark and, with stormy conditions arriving in portions of upstate New York today, National Grid is responding by increasing staffing and extending evening and overnight work shifts. Additional resources are being brought in from as far away as Indiana, Ontario and Quebec.

Forecasts are calling for heavy, wet snow and potential ice across the area beginning late today and extending through tomorrow. The company has activated its comprehensive emergency response plan, including:

• Calling in outside resources and mobilizing field and tree crews.
• Pre-staging crews and materials in areas anticipated to be most severely impacted.
• Proactively reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.
• Reaching out directly to customers through traditional and social media, email and texts and on our website to provide safety information and to urge them to be prepared.
• Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure they are prepared.

National Grid remains committed to public safety and is prepared if the storm impacts the energy delivery system. The company also encourages customers to keep safety a priority with the following reminders:

 

Electricity & Generator Safety

• If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online[1] to expedite restoration.
• Generators used to supply power during an outage must be operated outdoors to prevent the buildup of deadly carbon monoxide[2]. Before operating a generator, be sure to disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker, located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could endanger our crews and your neighbors.
• Customers who depend on electrically powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should register as a life support customer by calling National Grid at 1-800-642-4272. In a medical emergency, always dial 911.
• Stay tuned to local news outlets or the National Weather Service for storm updates, weather alerts
• Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices.
• If the power is out, use flashlights or other battery-powered lights. Do not use candles, which can pose a fire hazard.
• Please use caution when driving near emergency responders and crews restoring power.
• Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.

Safety Near Downed Power Lines

• Always use extreme caution near downed power lines and wires, and always assume that they are carrying live electricity.
• Never touch a person or an object that is in contact with a downed line, as electricity can pass through to you.
• Take caution when approaching fallen trees, which could have power lines caught in them.
• Remember that water can conduct electricity. If you see a line down in a puddle or flooded area, avoid contact with the water to prevent risk of shock.

Learn more about downed power line safety[3] at our website.

 

Stay Informed and Connected

• Customers with active electricity accounts who text ‘REG’ to 64743 can have personalized alerts sent to them via text, email or phone call when we detect an outage on their properties.
• Customers also can text ‘OUT’ to 64743 to report an outage.
• For real-time power outage information, online outage reporting, and in-depth storm safety information, visit National Grid’s Outage Central[4] website. Customers who create an online profile also can sign up for email alerts.
• Outage Central Reminder: Our Outage Central[5] page shows the estimated time of restoration for communities and reflects the estimated time for the last customer in that community to have power restored. The most accurate way for customers to check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address is to log into our Report or Check Outage page.
• Customers can read check outage status, report an outage and see the latest storm-related news releases from the company by using the updated National Grid app, free to download from the Apple App Store[6] or Google Play[7].
• Visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com[8], follow us on X[9] and like us on Facebook[10].
• Click here[11] for details on the company’s storm preparation and restoration process.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/community/another-round-of-winter-weather-on-the-way-national-grid-increasing-staff-extending-work-shifts-in-preparation/

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